10 Facts that May Save Your Life
Most people can go through their life
without being put in life-threatening situations, but sometimes,
remembering what to do in such a case can make the difference between
tragedy and a scary memory. Memorize these 10 simple facts and you just
might be thankful you did one day, although I hope you never do.
1. The limits of the human body often follow the “Rules of Three”:
3 minutes without air
3 hours without shelter from the elements
3 days without drinking
3 weeks without eating
2. If you find yourself caught in a riptide
and being pulled out to sea, remain calm and swim parallel to the
shore.
Trying to fight the riptide is more likely to lead to exhaustion – the
main cause of drowning.
3. If you’re in a burning building – keep your head down.
Fire victims often die from inhaling smoke rather than the fire itself.
Poisonous smoke is hot and will rise while fresh air will remain close
to the ground (Cover your face with a wet towel for extra protection).
4. In a situation where you are crying for
help, be specific.
Calling specific people (“You with the blue shirt!”) will increase the
likeliness of them helping you. Being called out puts them in an
accountable position, reducing the likeliness of the “bystander effect”
(the more people around, the more people feel like it's not their
responsibility to be the one to help.)
5. Most cell phones can dial the local emergency number when they’re locked, even without a SIM card.
6. Learn how to give yourself the Heimlich maneuver.
In case you're alone when you get choked, don't panic. Try to find a chair, stand behind it, when you bend forward, your diaphragm should press against the top of the chair, so that what is choking you should be pushed out. In case it doesn't come by the 1st time, repeat pressing your diaphragm against the top of the chair till it comes out. Relax, once it comes out, you'll be able to breathe again normally.
In case you're alone when you get choked, don't panic. Try to find a chair, stand behind it, when you bend forward, your diaphragm should press against the top of the chair, so that what is choking you should be pushed out. In case it doesn't come by the 1st time, repeat pressing your diaphragm against the top of the chair till it comes out. Relax, once it comes out, you'll be able to breathe again normally.
7. Do you spend more than two straight
hours sitting down? Get up, stretch and walk around for 5 minutes.
Whether you have an office job or you’re traveling, sitting for
prolonged periods can lead to blood clots in your calves. These clots
can travel through your bloodstream and end up blocking blood flow to
vital organs.
8. If you see a photo where you are the only person in a group who has
‘red eyes’, visit a doctor.
‘Red eye’ in just one person in a group may indicate a case of
retinoblastoma, which is a type of eye cancer.
9. If you’re a man and (for some reason) you use a pregnancy test that comes out positive, visit a doctor.
A positive test in a man may be an indicator of testicular cancer.
10. Even if the traffic light is green, it’s not necessarily safe to go.
Try to give yourself 2-3 seconds before you
go through that green light, especially if it's a busy intersection. A
large percent of deadly vehicle accidents occur because some driver
wanted to beat the red light. Waiting for those precious seconds makes
sure you don't take that risk.